Race has not been a big topic on Principally Political, up until the last day or two. Bear with me.

Attorney General Eric Holder has called Americans cowards for not talking enough about race. As someone who has, in a number of settings, discussed and spoken on race and its politics, I know first hand what often happens when Americans do “talk about race.” It’s not often a pleasant affair that develops.

Firstly, what is meant when many liberals say we must “talk about race,” is that they would like for the rest of us to sit down for a pious lecture they would like to deliver on the subject. The idea is not so much to talk as to listen. Not so much a dialogue, but a great deal of demagoguery.

Secondly, when we are urged to “talk about race,” what is not meant is frank, difficult and honest discussions. When such conversation does occur, some participants are often accused of being offensive or insensitive, or worse, labeled racist. Thus, most honest discussions are avoided in the first place.

So, Mr. Attorney General, don’t be surprised if Americans are not talking about race all that much. While I will personally continue to, doing so has not been without its cost.

Finally, while some genuinely healthy discussion – whenever such a thing can actually be found – is good, could perhaps part of the problem be that we talk about race too much? That perhaps if we worried less about race that we might actually have greater racial harmony? Just a thought. …